The Pre-Med (CertHE in Medical Science)

(Also referred to as the ‘Pre-Med year’ or ‘CertHE’)

What is the Medipathways Pre-Med Programme?

The Medipathways Pre-Med is a unique 1-year programme taught on the campus of School of Economic Sciences, which is conveniently located in the heart of Central London. It is validated by the University of Buckingham, awarding successful graduates of this course a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE.) in Medical Science qualification. The Medipathways Pre-Med has been developed for students who have been unsuccessful at securing an offer to medical or dental school, students who want to increase their chances of getting an offer, and students who want a variety of opportunities to follow their ambition of studying medicine or dentistry.

The course content is identical to the first stage of our 2-year BSc. and successful graduates of this 1-year programme will be awarded 120 credits at level 4 by the University of Buckingham. Students who do not secure a place into medical or dental school at the end of this year can then opt to transfer directly into the 2nd stage of our unique 2-year BSc. and then re-apply for medical or dental school in the UK or abroad.

Why is this Pre-Med programme unique?

The programme offers students an alternative route to medical and dental school that actually increases their chances of gaining a place. In previous years, 80% of our students have secured a place into a medical or dental school of their choice.

The focus is on UCAS applications. After completing UKCAT and/or BMAT, students have the opportunity to re-apply for UK medical or dental schools within the first few weeks of the programme with the support and guidance of our highly experienced advisors.

Medipathways Pre-Med students are provided with automatic membership of the Royal Society of Medicine in London – the UK’s largest provider of medical CPD. This provides extensive online resources, events, ejournals and membership of the largest medical library in Europe. Visit www.rsm.ac.uk for more information.

Core modules are taught from a clinical perspective which provides students with the theory and experience found among first year courses at medical or dental school. The course also forms the first stage of our unique 2-year BSc, for students who wish to apply for medicine or dentistry as a graduate, pursue their scientific career further or go into employment.

Course Content

The course offers students a strong understanding of medical science taught at the first year of university degree level. The programme is taught utilising a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge and real-world application through a range of teaching methodologies, such as lectures, small group tutorial sessions, problem-based learning, one-to-one personal tutoring, seminars, practicals and personal assessments.

Foundations of Medical Science

Foundations of Medical Science introduces indispensible concepts you will need for the remainder of your Medipathways studies; in particular, Scale in biology, Energy, Mechanism, Information, and Evidence. These themes are taught through an examination of biomedical scenarios; for example, colour blindness, metabolic control, and viral infection.

Doctors, Patients and Health

Doctors Patients and Health introduces you to the profession of medicine, the conduct of trainee and qualified doctors, and the past and future of health care. The module is taught through scenarios that illustrate central ideas in medical practice, history and ethics, and prepares you to make concrete plans about your own application to medical school.

Molecular Cell Biology

Molecular Cell Biology surveys the composition, structure, maintenance and context of cells. How does the cell integrate incoming signals with its own genetic programme in order to survive, grow, divide and carry out specialized functions? This module anticipates ideas of cellular pathways and homeostasis that will be developed in the later level 4 module Gut Hormones and Metabolism

Brain, Muscle and Coordination

Brain Muscle and Coordination provides a unified introduction to movement and behaviour in terms of the nervous system and its interactions with muscle and skeleton. These themes will be encountered again in the level 6 module Brain Physiology and Behaviour

Gut, Hormones and Metabolism

Gut Hormones and Metabolism shows the role of the gastrointestinal system in nutrition and energy homeostasis, and their endocrine regulation. Special topics in this module include the gut microbiome, response to starvation, and selected pathology of the tract or the hepatobiliary system.

Circulation and Fluid Balance

Circulation and Fluid Balance explores the complex interrelation of the heart, respiratory and vascular systems and kidney that maintains the composition of the internal environment. This first-year module is taught in a PBL format that uses clinical scenarios to illustrate the fundamental physiology and how departures from normal state can lead to disease. Students will also complete exercises in the analysis of physiological data.

Matter and Energy in Medicine

Two obvious applications of physics and chemistry in medicine are medical instrumentation, and drug design and delivery. More fundamentally, the human body interacts with physical fields and is the site of complex chemical reactions, is subject to the laws of chemistry and physics, and is moreover studied through technologies that rely on these sciences. This module shows how matter, energy change and biological matter impinge on each other. The chemistry component covers all the principles of bonding, conformation, reactivity and mechanism. The physics component shows how states of matter, atomic structure, waves & optics, molecular collisions and radiation relate to biology and medical technology. Students will carry out a short project in modelling biophysical states.

Tuition Fees

Medipathways Pre-Med (CertHE): £16,000.

The course fees can be paid all at once during the enrolment period. Alternatively a deposit of £4,000 will be payable followed by 9 equal monthly payments of £1,333.

This course is privately funded so Student Finance is not available.

Entry Requirements

Each applicant is considered on a case-by-case basis, and an interview may be required.

Applicants with less than AAA may be considered on the understanding that you are not intending to progress onto UK medical or dental school via UCAS at the end of this 1-year course. (Applicants with less than AAA who wish to progress onto UK medical or dental school are advised to complete our 2-year BSc instead.)

Equivalent qualifications, such as the Irish Leaving Certificate, the I.B. Diploma and the Scottish Advanced Highers are also accepted. Prospective international applicants with other qualifications should contact us for an individual assessment.

We welcome applications from students who have successfully completed a BTEC programme of study, however students who have a BTEC as their highest attained qualification will normally be offered the Medipathways Foundation programme.

If English is not a student’s native language, they are normally expected to have passed a recognised test in English to the level of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent (with not less than 6.0 in the writing and listening sections).

Please note: If your actual grades fall below these requirements, please contact us to discuss as we may be able to look into your circumstances and the possibility of an individual plan.

Application Procedure

To find out how to register your interest and apply for this programme, please see our Apply Now page.

Places are filling quickly, so please submit your application as soon as possible to secure a place to study on this course for September 2017.

Top FAQs:

Why should I consider this programme if there is no guaranteed entry to medical or dental school?

A good portion of students who have the appropriate A-levels (or equivalent) grades are successfully admitted into medical or dental school each year. Of those that had suitable A-level subjects and grades close to what UK Medical or Dental school expect, 67% secured a place. 80% of students have secured a place into medical or dental school of their choice abroad. All students who successfully complete the Pre-Med have the option to transfer onto the 2nd stage of our 2-year BSc. which allows graduates with a 2.1 to re-apply for UK medical or dental school and be considered in exactly the same way as a 3-year graduate would be.

What if my A-level grades are nowhere near those required for UK medical or dental school entry?

You will be able to qualify and secure a place to study at one of our associated medical and dental schools overseas. If studying abroad does not appeal then you will be able to re-apply to UK medical and dental schools via our 2-year BSc. as described above.

Do you consider other qualifications for entry, such as the IB or other international qualifications?

Yes, each application will be evaluated and offers will be made based on pending or actual grades achieved.

What is the application deadline?

We do not usually set a deadline, however, applications are usually considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications may be considered as late as the end of August, subject to availability of places.

Why can't I do a 1-year course like this at another university in the UK?

This Pre-Med is unique as it’s designed with the UK as well as overseas medical and dental school entry in mind. In addition, it allows students to apply to any UK medical or dental school and complete the first year of a 2-year BSc all at the same time. To our knowledge, there are no other courses in the UK which offer these features and benefits.

If I normally need AAA to get into this course, why not just take a year out to ace the UKCAT and/or BMAT and then re-apply to Medical or Dental schools separately and save myself £16,000?

Unfortunately AAA is no longer a guaranteed place for UK medical or dental school. Other factors play a huge part and medical and dental schools will want to know what you have been up to the past year. Yes, there is a chance you may get in without us, but realistically there is also just as big a chance that you won’t, especially since competition for places increases each year. So, the question is, what if you don’t? It could be a year wasted. However, on this course, while we are providing you with specialist assistance on the UKCAT and/or BMAT, you are also simultaneously completing the first year of our 2-year BSc. (allowing you to re-apply as a graduate again in just 1 more year) as well as qualify for entry to our partner overseas medical and dental schools. So, with us, your year will not be wasted regardless of the outcome of your applications (provided you do well) and you are also minimising the risk of not getting into a UK medical or dental school.

Do successful graduates of this 1-year course receive any university credits?

Yes, as this is the first year of a BSc., a Certificate of Higher Education in Medical Science is awarded by the university of Buckingham to successful students who complete all the required modules, entitling you to use ‘CertHE’ after your name. This is 120 British university credits, (or 60 ECTS for other European universities).

Is my transfer to your 2-year BSc guaranteed?

Although a ‘cast-iron’ guarantee for progression onto the 2nd and final year of our 2-year BSc can not be guaranteed at the outset, it is very likely that students will have this possibility and this may be guaranteed after completion of the first term, upon successful application.

Can I transfer to the 2nd year of another university?

If, for whatever reason, you would like to transfer onto the 2nd year of a traditional 3-year course elsewhere in the UK, based on the credit transfer system, this should be possible. However, students would need to consult these universities in advance to confirm their availability of places, acceptance of your academic credentials, application process and matching of their first year curriculum to our Pre-Med programme.

If the Pre-Med year and the first year of the 2-year BSc are identical, why are the entry requirements different?

The pre-med is designed for two groups of students: 1) those that have A-level grades that are very close to UK medical or dental school entry requirements and 2) those who would like to secure a place to study abroad in 1-year. Students that wish to complete our 2-year BSc have best of both, so they have a chance to secure a place in the UK as a graduate AND also can continue on to study medicine abroad (sometimes with 2-years of the study reduced – see our articulations).

Can I apply for Accreditation of Prior Learning?

Yes, all applications for APL are processed by the University of Buckingham. Students are advised at interview whether APL credits will be accepted by medical or dental schools to which students may want to progress

MP Video Still – Pre-Med

Pathway Diagram

Progression Routes

Progression Routes

Secure a place into a UK medical or dental school

Secure a place at one of our partner overseas medical or dental schools

Continue onto the 2nd year of our 2 Year Bsc. programme

Pre-Med Testimonials

"I successfully completed the M&D Pre-Med with Medipathways at Birkbeck, University of London and graduated with a CertHE in Medical Science. I was also given excellent step-by-step guidance in optimising my UCAS application and look forward to starting medical school soon. Studying in central London offers a very exciting experience for students as you are in the middle of one of the largest and cosmetician cities in the world."

Aleksandra Li, graduate of the Medipathways Pre-Med

"My experience on the Pre-Med Course can essentially be described in one word; an OPPORTUNITY. An opportunity to gain a greater understanding regarding the workings of the human body and apply your learned medical knowledge in practical situations. An opportunity to meet other students with similar interests and build life long friendships and an opportunity to take your first steps on your path to becoming a medic or a dentist."

Savneet Lochab, now studying Medicine at St. George's, University of London

"The M&D Pre-Med is an excellent way to maximise your chances for medical school - the information I have gained in Medical Science is going to be a great advantage when I am at medical school. I also received excellent one-to-one specialist guidance on interview technique which subsequently lead to me securing a place into a UK medical school. My Thanks to the Medipathways Team."

Toby Onafowokan, completed the CertHE with distinction and is now at Peninsula Medical School

"I decided to enrol onto the M&D Pre-Med programme to enhance my chances of getting into UK dental school, with the back-upof studying dentistry abroad. This was the only secure way of making sure I fulfilled my ambition of studying dentistry at a quality dental school.The course is very well managed and organised and an excellent way to get a medical science background before embarking on a medical or dental degree course. As it is taught in the heart of London, it is also an excellent opportunity to meet many new students and use the facilities at Birkbeck, University of London Union, in a vibrant and dynamic city."